Bracelet or the like



Oct. 21, 1941. P. J. BEL-LAVANCE BRACELET OR THE LIKE Filed Marbh 19, 1940 .112 yen for."

fliiorneys.

Patented Oct. 21, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BRACELET on THE LIKE Paul J. Bellavance, Attleboro, Mass. Application March 19,1940, Serial No. 324,823

Claims.

This invention relates to resiliently expansible metal bands or bracelets and the like, and has for its general objects to simplify and cheapen the construction and assembly of such articles and facilitate their repair or the substitution of parts thereof, while producing a bracelet of attractive appearance capable of wide variation.

Bracelets and similar articles of this character have usually been of lazy-tongs construction comprising a relatively large number of relatively small crossed links pivoted together at their ends and points of intersection, and having coiled or torsion springs associated with their pivots. Such articles are expensive to produce and assemble, are diflicult to repair if broken or damaged, and are not susceptible to any considerable variation in design. As compared to these, the bracelet of the present invention can be produced and assembled for a small fraction of the cost (for a given character and quality of material), can be caused to assume a far greater variety of forms, and can be repaired or parts thereof replaced or interchanged at greatly reduced cost and required skill.

The more particular objects of the invention, together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect, will best be understood from the following description of an illustrative embodiment thereof shown in the accompanying drawing, this, however, having been chosen for purposes of exemplification merely, as it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that said invention, as defined by the claims hereunto appended, may be otherwise embodied without departure from the spirit and scope thereof.

In said drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bracelet embodying the invention.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of several of the bracelet units with one section of each removed, said units being shown in normal position as in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the bracelet expanded.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the units, showing the sections thereof separated.

Fig. 5 is a further enlarged section taken substantially one the line 5-5 of Fig. 3, but with the sections assembled.

Referring to Fig. 1, the bracelet comprises a plurality of units [0 which are, as shown, all of a similar, elongated, generally oval form, although it will be obvious that this shape maybe widely varied and if desired, be of different shapes and other characteristics.

Each of the units I0 is of hollow construction and, as shown most clearly in Figs. 4 and 5, comprises two section" II and I2. The section II comprises an outer wall I3 and a side wall ll spaced inwardly fromthe edge of the wall l3, forming a projecting flange l5. Section l2 comprises an outer wall i6 and a side wall I! shaped to fit over the side wall ll of the section II and engage at its edge the flange l5. The sections are normally held in assembled relationship, as shown in Fig. 5, by the resilient engagement of indentations I8 in the wall I! with complementary indentations l9 constituting portions of grooves 20 formed in the wall I. No soldering orbrazing need be employed, the sections being held assembled solely by the resilient. inter-engagement of the parts.

The several units are formed in their adjacent walls with registering openings 2! and 22, Fig. 2, each of said openings comprising an aperture 23 (Fig. 4) in the wall H of the section I I and a registering notch 24 in the wall ll of the section l2. Alternate units A have each secured therein intermediate portions of two springs 25 having preferably oppositely curved free ends 26 which extend obliquely and in crossed relationship through the openings 2l and 22 into both adjacent intermediate units B. The springs 25 are preferably composed of resilient wire and are formed with intermediate coiled portions 29 secured to the end portions of the walls M by hooked lugs 21 formed by slitting said walls and bending inwardly the intervening material, as clearly shown in Figs. 4 and 5. The springs 25, which are completely housed within the units, constitute the sole connecting means between contiguous units, which are otherwise free from one another, but the form and arrangement of said springs is such as to tend normally to hold said units in abutting relation and the adjacent walls of contiguous units in engagement, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. To that end, the springs 25 are slightly pre-wound. Said springs, however, are adapted to yield to permit a limited complete separation of the units and consequent expansion of the bracelet as a whole, as shown in Fig. 3. The extremities of the end portions 26 are enlarged, preferably by bending the same into loops 28 of sufficient size to prevent their withdrawal through the openings 22 in the units B, thereby preventing complete separation of the units in use, although said exalso that different units may, tremities may, if desired, be of less size than the openingsand act in the nature of hooks, to resist such separation by engagement with the edges of the openings. a

In the event of damage to any of the units, breakage of any or the springs,or other contingency requiring repair 01' the bracelet, the parts can be readily disassembled for this purpose without the exercise of any great skill or the use 01' special tools. Since the sections II and I2 oi the several units are held together solely by their resilient interengagement, the sections of any unit can be readily pried apart to expose thesprings 25. Thereafter, by the use of a pair of pliers, the looped extremities 28 of any pair of springs may, if necessary, be straightened out sufllciently to permit their withdrawal through the openings 22, thereby permitting the removal of any desired'unit. If necessary to replac a spring, it may be disengaged from its hooked lug 21 and removed and anotherspring substituted. Thereafter the units can be reassembled by reinserting the ends '01 the springs through the opening, the looped extremities 28 restored to their original condition, if necessary,and the sections II and I! of the unit in question reas- 2. A resiliently expansible bracelet or the like,

comprising a plurality of normally contiguous units of which at least alternate ones are hollow,

and pro-wound coil springs retained in said alternate hollow units, the free ends or each spring sembled and snapped into position, the interengagement oi the indentations l8 and I9 being facilitated by the grooves 20. This ease of disassembly of the several units also makes it possible to substitute for any unit. a unit of different material or design should it be desired to do Iclaim: c

1. A resiliently expansible bracelet or the like comprising a plurality of hollow units having abutting walls formed with registering openings and springs secured within certain of said units and having free end portions extending obliquely through said openings into contiguous units, said springs normally holding the adjacent walls of contiguous units in engagement but yielding to permit limited separation thereof.

8. A resiliently expansible bracelet or the like;- comprising a plurality of normally contiguous hollow units having aligned openings in their adjacent walls, and pre-wound coil springs housed .in alternate hollow units, the free ends of each spring extending through said openings into both adjacent contiguous units and being anchored therein.

4. A resiliently expansible bracelet or the like, comprising a plurality of normally contiguous hollow units having aligned openings in their adadjacent walls, and a pair of pre-wound coil springs located in each alternate unit, the free ends of each pair of springs crossing each other and extending obliquely through said apertures 'into both adjacent contiguous units and the exbracelet.

I PAULJ. BELLAVANCE. 

